THEIK CLASSIFICATIOX AND COLLECTIOX. 33 



in woods, and the "oil beetle" {3[eloe proscaraiceus) is probably 

 known to almost every one. 



One species of this section, tlio well-known " Spanish, fly " or 

 " blister beetle " {Lytta or Cantharis vesicatoria), is occasionally 

 taken in the south of England, but is doubtfully indigenous. 



8. The Ehynchophoka. 



The beetles forming this section are at once distinguished by the 

 head being elongated into a beak, sometimes long and thin as in 

 the Balanini, or short and thick as in Otiorhynchus, bearing the 

 organs of the mouth at the apex. The antennae are generally 

 inserted on the rostrum, and in by far the larger number they are 

 elbowed, having a long basal joint, called the " scape," the other 

 joints forming the "funiculus" and "club." The number of 

 joints varies from eight to twelve. The tarsi have five joints in 

 this and in the two following sections, but the fourth joint is so 

 small that for a long time it was overlooked. 



The weevils, as the Ehynchophora are called, are all vegetable- 

 feeders, and their larva? often do great damage. 



The "corn weevil" {Calandra granaria) is frequently spoken of 

 by farmers as "the" weevil, as if there were no other, but we 

 have very nearly 500 indigenous species. 



One of the best known is perhaps the "nut weevil " {Balaninus 

 Nucum) ; but the grub of this, which is often found devouring the 

 kernel of a nut when we crack it, is better known than the perfect 

 insect. The beetle has a very long thin rostrum, and is altogether 

 a remarkable-looking creature. The genus Balaninus contains 

 seven species, all more or less elegantly coloured. 



Three genera — Cceliodes, Ceuthorhynchus, and Ceutliorhynchideus — 

 including among them a large number of species, are odd-looking 

 insects that a young collector is veiy apt to overlook in his net. 

 Their bodies are more or less round, and they have a habit of 

 folding up their rather long straggling legs and by no means short 

 rostrum close to their bodies ; they then roll about in the net and 

 look very like the seeds of certain plants. It is surprising how 

 much larger they appear when they unpack their limbs and begin 

 to walk. The only difference between the species of the two 

 genera Ceuthorhynchus and Ceuthorhynchideus is, that in the first 

 the funiculus of the antennae has seven, and in the latter six joints. 



Among the species of two genera — Phyllohms and Polydrosiis — 

 there are some veiy common in the spring, which are clothed with 

 brilliant metallic scales, red or green. Polydrosus pterygomalis, 

 ene of these, is a favourite low-power object for the microscope, and 

 a very beautiful one. 



9. The Longicoenes. 



The tropical species of this section are both large and numerous, 

 but the British representatives number under 60 species. They 

 are comparatively moderate in size, and few are common. Never- 

 theless, three at least have English names. 



VOL. I. — PAKT I. 3 



